Dunno about Missouri, but around here it is dead common for paramedics to see and treat someone at the scene, then have a family or member or friend take them to the hospital for further treatment. If there’s no urgency, and no other reason they really need to take someone themselves, they have other things to do.
Plus ambulances are pricey, and insurance won’t necessarily cover it.
Yea about an $1,800 ride. Indigents never pay. Taxpayers mostly end up paying for the charity hospital ambulance rides.
I don’t think the cost of emergency medical care is an issue for a cop injured in the line of duty. Plus we would have heard about any injuries from the very beginning.
The moment the perp doubled back on the cop he deserved to be stopped by whatever means were available. Nothing more is needed to justify the shooting per se. But once the perp went down at a distance, the cop closing in while firing repeatedly to kill him on the ground is a whole ‘nother thing. If that’s what happened, it was murder.
I know of no rule that states that paramedics are to be called. In some cases it may be quicker to just take the individual to the hospital.
I do know that the paramedics and firemen complain that many places in St. Louis, when they show up to help, guns are fired at them.
In this situation, I wouldn’t wait, I’d transport the officer directly to the closest/best hospital available.